Wei Mengying was not due yet when a piece of good news came from the Eastern Palace. That was, Side Concubine Cui was pregnant!

Side Concubine Cui was Cui Jianlian. She was not the legitimate wife. After being designated to marry the Crown Prince, she moved into the Eastern Palace soon. It had been less than half a year since she served the Crown Prince. She was arguably so blessed to get pregnant in such a short period of time.

The Crown Prince had two sons and one daughter at the moment. However, only his eldest son was born by the Crown Princess while the other two were both born by women of humble birth. Cui Jianlian was his legitimate cousin and now was honored as his side concubine. As she got pregnant now, the Crown Princess must do something for her. Hence, the t.i.tled ladies of the outer court who were close to the Crown Princess were a.s.signed to hold a feast in the Eastern Palace to celebrate for Cui Jianlian's pregnancy.

Song Yixiao was not ent.i.tled by the emperor yet, but she was legitimate wife of Duke of Yan anyway and she would be t.i.tled as the first-rank lady sooner or later. Besides, given Jian Xubai and the Crown Prince's relations.h.i.+p, the Crown Princess wouldn't forget her.

Therefore, an invitation was sent to Duke of Yan's mansion, which saved Song Yixiao the trouble of asking for meeting.

“I wish I could meet you long time ago!” The Crown Princess and Wei Yinlian were sisters of the same parents, but they didn't resemble in appearance. The latter one was pretty with almond eyes and peach-bloom cheeks while the Crown Princess was beautiful and s.e.xy with a delicately made chignon, a slim figure and fine skin.

After waiving Song Yixiao from making a curtsey, the Crown Princess let her sit down and then said in a kind tone, “Pitifully, I didn't make it when you came into the imperial palace to meet Her Majesty! Now I finally get to meet you! You are really gorgeous as I expected!”

“Your Highness, I am so flattered!” Song Yixiao must be humble, “Your Highness is wise, elegant and beautiful. I'm too far behind to catch up with you.”

“Xubai has been raised in the imperial palace since he was a child. It is fair enough to say that the Crown Prince has seen him grow up. So, you don't need to take me as an outsider!” The Crown Princess couldn't help criticizing her upon seeing her humble behavior. “Otherwise, I will believe that you are unwilling to get along with me!”

Song Yixiao was about to speak when a group of people walked from outside. The leading one, wearing a suit of light purple palace dress, was not old with beautiful eyes and eyebrows as well as a graceful posture, who placed her hand in an imperial maid's palm. She was Cui Jianlian.

“Jianlian, here you are.” Upon seeing the comers, the Crown Princess stopped to greet smilingly, “Have a seat. Don't get yourself exhausted.”

Cui Jianlian made a curtsey with her head lowered, saying causally, “Thank you, Your Highness.”

Song Yixiao was not on good terms with her but this time, she came into the Eastern Palace on the ground of celebrating her pregnancy. Now that Cui Jianlian was here, Song Yixiao must rise and say something properly, “Congratulations to Your Highness's pregnancy. Wish you a healthy and safe life as well as a lot of sons and daughters!”

She didn't mean what she said. Cui Jianlian was also playing with the porcelain cup in her hand with a poker face. After hearing what Song Yixiao said, she snorted with disdain and then turned her head aside with the pearls of her hairpins slightly wobbling.

The Crown Princess frowned and winked at Cui Jianlian vaguely before Song Yixiao responded. However, Cui Jianlian didn't care about her wink at all. The Crown Princess puckered her lips and had to mediate between them, “Yixiao's wishes are well received!”

Then she added, “Jianlian is always sedate and quiet. Yixiao, don't take it too personally!”

“Your Highness, you are being too serious.” Song Yixiao smiled faintly, “Her Highness the Side Concubine is composed and graceful. How can I take it personally?”

The Crown Princess said smilingly, “I also regard her as my sister.” After that, she changed her topic immediately. Obviously, she was afraid to hear Cui Jianlian utter anything inappropriate which might ruin the atmosphere.

Because Cui Jianlian was at present, Song Yixiao still couldn't bring up Jiang Muting's matter although she had a good time with the Crown Princess.

After a while, other invited guests arrived continuously. After paying their respects, more people gathered around the Crown Princess, making Song Yixiao gradually neglected.

Song Yixiao could take the opportunity to have some tea to soothe her throat. However, before she finished a bowl of tea, she found someone looking over her nearby with complicated eyes.

“That is Madam Huang, the wife of the Advisor to the Crown Prince.” Noticing her confusion, the palace maid of the Eastern Palace, who was to serve her behind her back, took the hint and lowered her head, saying in a low voice, “She is your stepmother's mother.”

“Oh, she is my grandmother then!” Song Yixiao took a tumble and instantly put down the tea bowl. In a hurry she advanced to greet the woman.

“You are being too polite!” Madam Huang knew that she would encounter her daughter's stepdaughter but she didn't expect Song Yixiao to greet her first before she figured out how to greet her. More shockingly, while making a curtsey, Song Yixiao said with sincere zest, “I didn't notice that you were here just now. Grandmother, please forgive me!”

Her enthusiasm gave Madam Huang a surprise. Madam Huang hurriedly held her up, “Over the past years, my daughter hasn't fulfilled her duty as a mother, let alone me. I am very guilty to be called as grandmother by you. How can I ever accept your regards?”

“Grandmother, you've taken me as an outsider then.” Song Yixiao smiled sweetly and said respectfully, “I haven't returned to the Song Family in case that I may get Grandmother Pang angry. She is old now and Father is busy working. Moreover, Sister is too young. It is Mother who manages all the household affairs. Since Mother has made such great contribution to the Song Family, how can I not take her like my birth mother? In this case, of course I should make a curtsey to you.”

Then she said teasingly, “Don't you want to regard me as granddaughter just because I am not smart enough?”

“You are too serious! Too serious!” Looking at her smiling face, with complex feelings, Madam Huang took off her jade bracelet decorated golden flowers with a forced smile and put it on her wrist, “I've known that the girl raised by Princess Consort Wei and favored by the Empress Dowager must be extremely clever and sensible, but it turns out that you are even better than my imagination!”

Song Yixiao didn't reject the gift. After taking the bracelet, she said smilingly, “It is because you like me that I am excellent in your eyes.”

The onlookers around them all complimented on their affection for each other. After Song Yixiao returned to her own seat, some of Madam Huang's acquaintances scorned in a low voice, “You were worried that your granddaughter might be too mean to get along with. Now you can feel relieved!”

Regardless of Song Yixiao's true feelings, at lease she did a good job seemingly.

What Madam Huang was worried about didn't happen at all, which was good enough for others. After all, they were not blood-related or hadn't met before. Song Yixiao couldn't be as dependent and sweet as Song Yibao to Madam Huang, could she?

However, Madam Huang said with a smile, “Absolutely not. You know, although I am her grandmother, I didn't meet her before. What if she didn't like me? Now that I've seen her demeanor, I've realized that I underestimated her!”

Regardless, only the last sentence was uttered sincerely. Amidst speaking, Madam Huang even clenched her sleeves unconsciously. She was only 14 years old but she appeared so thoughtful, which indicated that she must be shred and scheming!

Considering the grievance that she suffered in the Song Family back in the old days, Madam Huang believed that she would become unexpectedly impressive when she got a chance. As time went by, if Song Yixiao tried to seek revenge one day, how could the Song Family resist it?

“I cannot see that happen!” Madam Huang felt intimidated but when she glanced at Song Yixiao's graceful behaviors, she felt helpless, “She is not only of high social status now but also scheming and tolerant… How do I set against her?”

Madam Huang was pondering how to frame Song Yixiao while the latter was calm and composed. She paid respects to Madam Huang only for the purpose of pleasing others and walking through. Having finished her task, she forgot about Madam Huang then and instead greeted Sikong Yiluo, “How come you are so late? I've waited for a long time.”

“I had to. Unlike you, Duke of Yan's mansion is close to the Eastern Palace.” After spending a summer holiday together, they had been familiar with each other. Sikong Yiluo just sat next to her and added, “I rushed here from the distant south of the city. How could I not be late?”

Amidst saying, she looked Song Yixiao up and down and said with a faint smile, “Wow! A newly wedded woman looks so radiantly beautiful! I can barely recognize you from the distance!”

Song Yixiao was not embarra.s.sed to hear that and only replied smilingly, “No hurry. Aren't you going to get married next month?”

“Pooh!” Sikong Yiluo spat at her out of anger and shame and then hammered her arm with her fists lightly, “Your jade bracelet looks quite pretty. Is the flower tree peony or herbaceous peony?”

“It should be herbaceous peony?” Song Yixiao didn't look at it carefully. Only after Sikong Yiluo raised the question did she lower her head to look it over, saying, “My grandmother gave it to me just now.”

Sikong Yiluo said smilingly, “The jade is so crystalline. In terms of your grandmother's fortune, supposedly it is the best thing she has ever had. It is generous of her to give it to you as a gift at the first meeting!”

“I got it on the coattails of my sister. She is still too young, so my grandmother can only give such a treasure to me first.” Song Yixiao put on a faint smile. Judging from her tone, Sikong Yiluo felt that she didn't want to talk about Madam Huang so she changed the topic, “I have something to inquire about!”

She lowered her voice and whispered to Song Yixiao, “What is Fourth Commandery Princess of Prince of Hengshan actually like?”

“Why do you suddenly ask about her?” Song Yixiao ruminated and guessed, “Do you want to…”

“I have a cousin who is old enough to get married. My auntie met Fourth Commandery Princess once. She felt that this girl's appearance and temperament are rather satisfying.” Sikong Yiluo said bluntly, “However, you know, we can't judge a book by its cover. My auntie has only one son and thus must be cautious about selecting the sole daughter-in-law lest that her son marries someone who has two faces. By then she will be in big trouble, won't she?”

It was a tough question. Song Yixiao didn't like Lu Kou'er but it was too unconscientious of her to start speaking ill of the daughter of someone who raised her to Sikong Yiluo, a friend who she just knew for several months. Moreover, she disliked Lu Kou'er, which didn't mean that others disliked her. What if Lu Kou'er happened to be the dream daughter-in-law of Sikong Yiluo's auntie?

Therefore, she stayed silent for a while and then said, “I'm sorry. In fact, I am not familiar with Fourth Commandery Princess. You know, the prince's mansion is s.p.a.cious and we lived far from each other. It was not convenient for us to hang around often. Besides, we were busy doing our homework in the girl's school. As to Fourth Commandery Princess, I don't know much about her indeed.”

Sikong Yiluo was not disappointed though, saying, “I suppose you are not familiar with her. Yet, my auntie learnt that I would meet you here so she asked me to inquire about it if possible.”

“By the way, Yiren apologized for not being able to come due to some errands. I am wondering whether Yinlian…” Song Yixiao was relieved to hear her out and then took a sip of tea. Upon seeing the Crown Princess and Cui Jianlian surrounded by the crowd, she hedged and asked, “I mean, will Yinlian attend the feast too?”

Sikong Yiluo was about to answer when Song Yixiao's shoulder was patted by someone. Song Yixiao turned around in surprise and yet found that Wei Yinlian, wearing green blouse and yellow skirt, was standing behind her smilingly. Wei Yinlian asked in a melodious voice, “I happen to hear you mention me. Were you speaking ill of me?”

“Yixiao… Oh no, I should call her Shanyao now! She has thought a lot about Jiang Muting recently!” Sikong Yiluo and Wei Yinlian were neighbors, who always hung out in childhood. They didn't like each other much but they still conversed freely. While peeling off an orange, she sneered, “Now what else does she want to learn from you? I'm not speaking for Shanyao on purpose, but can that lady cool down after venting her anger on Shanyao for such a long time?”

When it came to Jiang Muting, Wei Yinlian frowned and felt like saying something. Yet, she looked around and just swallowed back her words. She dragged Song Yixiao's sleeves, proposing, “Let's find a place for a talk later.”

Song Yixiao noticed that she didn't look like showing partiality for Jiang Muting and couldn't help feeling relieved, “Okay!”